Matthew Tkachuk's Injury Could Push Florida Panthers to Make Decision
The work never stops for the Florida Panthers even after they successfully repeated as NHL Stanley Cup champions.
Although it's the offseason, Florida's front office has items to deal with. For one, the team's payroll is still above the salary cap by $3.75 million, according to Puck Pedia. That means the Panthers will have to find a way to shed at least that amount to get under the cap.
One way the Panthers could do it involves a potentially big decision on star forward Matthew Tkachuk, who carries a cap hit of $9.5 million.
"If Tkachuk were to miss the beginning of the season and be out for a while, the Panthers would be able to get under the cap by putting his contract on LTIR," wrote Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, who floated the idea while discussing Florida's salary cap landscape.
A player placed on the long-term injured list will allow the team to go over the salary cap.
Tkachuk dealt with injuries in the 2024-25 NHL season, including a groin injury that he sustained during his stint with the United States team in the 4 Nations Face-Off. His health issues continued in the Stanley Cup Playoff, but Tkachuk braved through it all, helping the Panthers hoist the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row.
Against the Edmonton Oilers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, Tkachuk found the back of the net three times and added seven assists through six games.
Tkachuk represents the second-biggest cap hit on the Panthers' payroll, with Aleksander Barkov's $10 million annual average value topping all of them. Meanwhile, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett have $8.625 million and $8 million cap hits, respectively.This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
McCarthy Shows Love to Home Fans
McCarthy Shows Love to Home Fans originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Vikings went 14-3 last season, but it ended with a thud. After losing to the Detroit Lions in Week 18, the Vikings were bounced from the playoffs in the wild-card round by the Los Angeles Rams. Despite winning 14 games, Minnesota is making a change at quarterback under fourth-year head coach Kevin O'Connell. O'Connell has a 34-17 record in the regular season but is still searching for his first postseason win. He's turning to J.J. McCarthy in 2025 to replace Sam Darnold as the team's new starter. The former Michigan Wolverines star missed all of last season with a fully torn meniscus in his right knee. After undergoing surgery, he became the first quarterback taken in the first round to miss his entire rookie season due to injury. Now, with the 2025 NFL training camp underway, Minnesota is putting its full attention on McCarthy, who has a strong supporting cast around him. McCarthy sat down with the NFL Network on Saturday and shared his thoughts on playing in Minnesota: "We got the best fanbase in the NFL, I guarantee that." The Vikings averaged more than 66,000 fans per home game last season. U.S. Bank Stadium has a capacity of 66,200, expandable to 72,000 for special events. It's been the team's home since 2016. McCarthy also expressed his excitement about seeing fans return for training camp: "I'm so looking forward to seeing them here and hearing the SKOL chant," McCarthy said. "Just being able to interact with them individually and as a collective, they are just awesome. Nothing but gracious and supportive ever since I got here, and I can't wait to do great things for them this year." The 22-year-old was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He led Michigan to a College Football Playoff title in January 2024 and was named Big Ten Quarterback of the Year that season. McCarthy is listed ahead of Sam Howell and Brett Rypien on the depth chart. He'll have two proven weapons at receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison as well as talented tight end T.J. Hockenson. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
NBC Sports
18 hours ago
- NBC Sports
2025 Fantasy Preview: Bo Nix
Denny Carter, Bo Nix 2025 Fantasy Football Snapshot Slow start as a rookie, but Nix surged late with improved accuracy. Added weapons may limit Nix's rushing and overall fantasy volume. Safe QB1/2, but upside capped without breakout from WRs. 2024: It wasn't a pretty start. Fantasy's QB8 last year had a 1,346 5/5 line last year through seven weeks. And when he did torch teams last year through the air, it was the teams you'd expect: He had a 11/0 TD:INT ratio in three games against the Panthers, Broncos, and Hibernating Week 18 Chiefs. Still, Nix's ability as a scrambler made him fantasy-viable and his passing markedly improved down the stretch even if we ignore the big games. His completion rate jumped markedly in the final 10 games of the season, all the way up to 69.7%. What's changed: The good news is that the Broncos spent some resources improving their offensive firepower around Nix. The bad news is … the Broncos spent some resources improving their offensive firepower around Nix. RJ Harvey and JK Dobbins could be effective enough to keep Nix from scrambling as much in 2025, and they could also be effective enough that he throws less in general. And as good as Evan Engram has been over the course of his career, it's not like the Broncos were winning a lot of one-on-ones with their non-Courtland Sutton receivers last year. 2025 Outlook: Nix silenced many-a-doubter last year on his way to leading the Broncos to the playoffs. We expect him to be a high-floor fantasy quarterback in 2025, but unless Patrick Bryant comes out as Michael Thomas on Day 1 of the 2025 season, we're struggling to see many runouts where Nix takes a major step forward in fantasy. He's best approached as a low-end QB1 or high-end QB2. *Projections from Spotlight Sports Group
Hamilton Spectator
20 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Clemson's Dabo Swinney rooting for Hunter Renfrow as he attempts NFL comeback with Panthers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hunter Renfrow remembers being cut by the Las Vegas Raiders on March 13, 2024, and not even caring all that much. He had no desire to play football. Physically, he felt awful. He'd lost 35 pounds, went a week with a 103-degree fever and was completely zapped of the energy and fire he was once known to bring to the football field. Running routes, catching passes and being blasted by defensive backs was the last thing on his mind. But after being diagnosed with a severe case of ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine and rectum, the 2021 Pro Bowler is now feeling like himself again. He's trying to make an NFL comeback with the Carolina Panthers, the team he rooted for as a kid growing up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dabo Swinney, his college coach at Clemson, believes if anyone can make it back it's Renfrow. 'You're playing football at the highest level and he just couldn't eat,' Swinney said. 'It affected him, and he was really done (with football). I didn't think he was gonna play again.' Neither did Renfrow. 'I was like, I'm never playing a football again,' Renfroe said. 'Like when you feel like that, you feel like you're letting your teammates down.' Renfrow's problems surfaced late in the 2021 season in which he caught a career-high 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. He noticed his energy level had dropped off significantly and he could never seem to get it all the way back, even after taking a month off to prep for his first Pro Bowl appearance. The Raiders rewarded Renfrow with a two-year, $32 million contract extension that offseason, but he never came close to reaching that level of production again. He caught just 36 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns in 2022 and 25 passes for 255 yards and no touchdowns in 2023, leading to his release. But after several hospital visits and a referral to a Charlotte-area pediatrician, Renfrow finally received a diagnosis. He began receiving treatment, started a new diet and saw his appetite return. By September he'd put back on the 35 pounds he'd lost and then some. His energy returned. He played pickleball, basketball and golf and the competitive juices began to return. As the 2024 NFL season went out without him, Renfrow privately began discussing a possible comeback with Swinney, who has remained a close friend and father figure. 'I was like Hunter, listen, you know you're gonna be 40 one day,' Swinney said. 'So if you got more left in you ...' In January, Renfrow took Swinney's advice and began to work his way back into football shape. He asked his agent if the Panthers might be interested in giving him a workout. They were, and that ultimately led to a one-year, $1.22 million contract that included a modest $50,000 signing bonus. It was a no-lose proposition for the Panthers. But if Monday is any indication, Renfrow might just be a solid under-the-radar free agent addition for the Panthers. With Swinney observing from the Panthers sideline as a guest of coach Dave Canales, the 5-foot-10 Renfrow made two impressive catches reminiscent of the player who went from walk-on to catching the game-winning touchdown pass with 1 second remaining in Clemson's dramatic 35-31 win over Alabama in the national championship game in the 2016 season. Renfrow said he feels appreciative as he continues 'pushing toward something special.' While the unimposing Renfrow may look like an ordinary guy off the field, Swinney said that when he puts on the pads he 'turns into Superman.' 'He catches it. He makes plays,' Swinney said . 'He understands the leverage and influence and route-running and break points and how to set things up and how to play with his hands at full speed. And he's just got elite change of direction. ... But he's a little guy that plays really big, and is really crafty. Just his ability to separate and change direction, that's hard to find.' Renfrow is no lock to make the Panthers roster. The Panthers have upgraded their wide receiver position in recent years, drafting Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan in the first round in 2024 and 2025, respectively. They also have veteran wide receivers Adam Thielen and David Moore, and the team remains high on last year's surprise undrafted rookie standout Jalen Coker. But Canales likes what he's seen so far from Renfrow. 'He looks like the Hunter that I remember,' Canales said. Canales said Renfrow began to show a burst during the team's OTAs in the spring, and he's been pleased with his development ever since, citing the five-year NFL veteran's knowledge of coverages and leverages and ability to attack defenses. The next month will go a long way toward determining whether Renfrow is able to make it all the way back. Either way, at least he has his health. 'I'm just pulling for him,' Swinney said. 'He's having fun again. He's 29 and so I'm just happy that he's back out here. If he stays healthy he'll do what Renfrow does. That's just who he is.' ___ AP NFL:
